Never My Happy Ending
by seashell118
Summary: Leah and Embry Imprint. On each other. Their lives and fates are both irreversibly tied--until something happens to Leah that shakes her life perspective to the core. Now she's faced with a choice: Embry, or a child she loves just as much?
1. LEAH: My Prince

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer. Leah, Embry, and all the other characters referenced here are hers.

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La Push. Two words.

It had been my home since I was small. It had once been a symbol of protection and love, but become a nightmare when I first transformed. I hated this reservation, this little town, with as much feeling as I could muster. I knew it wasn't La Push's fault that I was a wolf, but since Jacob had been kind of a vampire protector, I couldn't blame those leeches. I couldn't go against what my pack stood for. But now I was no longer part of a pack—and I had left La Push just days after Jacob had given me the okay that everything was fine, and that his vampires weren't in any danger.

It had been almost a year since my last phase. It had been even longer since I'd been to La Push. But I was back now, comforted by the fact that my body was starting to kick up again, like it was coming out of its sleep. My body temperature gradually lowered to a steady 99.7—not quite normal, but close enough. I was no longer a wolf. It was just the very near past for me. A bad memory—no, a nightmare.

I wasn't looking forward to seeing all the faces I had left behind. I was sure they'd forgotten me by now, too busy living out their fairy tale endings. Jacob got Nessie, Sam got Emily, and even Seth got Melissa, Jacob's second cousin or something.

And they all lived happily ever after.

So where was my happy ending? Where was my fairy tale prince?

Not that I cared, of course. I'd rather be an independent woman, I'd rather choose who I'd love rather than having it be chosen for me. I told myself that over and over again. And I still wasn't convinced.

Because how was it fair in the slightest? Why should everyone else skip off happily in the sunset, leaving me behind? My hands clenched into fists, and a fierce shudder ripped through my spine.

_Slow down, Leah_, I told myself. _Don't want to get so angry you phase._

Phasing was out of the question. I had worked so hard to become halfway human again—I didn't want to screw that all up.

I was sitting on the front steps of my house, my head resting on my hands. The rain was light enough not to bother me, just a sparkling mist that dewed into my hair and my eye lashes. I only heard the footsteps when they were right upon me; that was the only thing I would miss about being a wolf. The extra senses—that and the speed. But I was willing to give them up in order to be human.

I didn't look up at the visitor, though whoever it was stopped right in front of me.

"Hey, Leah. When did you get here?" I identified the voice as Embry without raising my head.

"This morning."

"I haven't seen you since you left. It's been a while."

"Yeah, I know."

There was an awkward pause, but I was determined not to break the silence or bring my head up from my hands.

"Is Seth here?"

I snorted. "'Course not. He's with Melissa." My voice was slightly muffled by my hands.

The wooden steps groaned slightly as Embry sat down next to me. "Man, he's always with her," he grumbled.

"Yeah, well. That's what happens when you imprint." I raised my head, but didn't look at him; I hadn't seen Embry since I had left our pack. I didn't want a reminder of my wolf days. I wished he would just leave. Instead, I gazed out into the empty streets, barely illuminated by the faint sheen the sun was able to get through the layer of clouds.

Embry sighed. "I hope it never happens to me."

"It hasn't happened to you yet?" That was interesting. It seemed like just about everyone I knew had someone.

"Nope. You?"

"I'm a girl, Embry. I'm not supposed to even be a wolf." The words came out sharper than I intended, and I felt instant regret—one of the emotions I rarely ever felt. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just… frustrated."

"Frustrated?"

I kept my eyes steadily on the house across the narrow street as I spoke. I rarely ever spoke about my feelings, so this was hard for me. I was determined not to meet his gaze, though I was sure that he was looking at me.

"I'm a freak, Embry. I'll never get my happy ending. Sam thinks that we Imprint so that we find the best person to carry the wolf gene to our kids."

"And you stopped being able to have kids," Embry finished for me, albeit a little awkwardly. It wasn't easy for guys to talk about things like menstrual cycles.

"I can now. I stopped phasing for a while, so I'm back to normal. Still, it just sucks that I'll never find my soul mate, or whatever."

My head was back in my hands. Embry put his warm hand on my neck.

"You didn't stop phasing," I mumbled, noting how hot it was.

"You'll have to give me a trick or something. It's not easy," he said, laughing darkly.

I looked up at him, not sure if I was about to tell him off or give him advice. He was different since I'd last seen him. His chin was slightly squarer, and he was taller if that was even possible. He had kept his hair cropped, though it was a few inches longer than it used to be. Only his eyes were the same: wide and dark, framed by thick lashes. Yet there was something different about them. No—there was something different about the way I saw him.

Everything was absolutely still outside. In my head, it was chaos.

It all made sense now. Life, meaning—everything. Why was I still so upset over Sam? It didn't matter. Who cared if Jacob found Nessie? He was happy. And Seth, too.

And then I realized that it wasn't gravity that tied me down to this earth—it was this boy, this boy with the dark eyes and russet skin.

Embry.

And looking into his eyes, I could see he was going through the same thing. A double Imprint. Stronger than anything our legends could have prepared us for. My heart was pounding in my chest, my breathing quicker than usual. He tentatively extended a finger to touch my hand, and my entire body quivered in response. It wasn't anger that was shaking me this time—it was something different, something stronger.

_Wait_, a small part of my mind was wondering. _I've seen Embry before. I'm not a wolf anymore. This isn't right_.

But no, it was right. I wasn't a wolf anymore, though I still had the power to phase. It would always be a part of me. And hadn't I just said the answer aloud before? Sam said we Imprint so that we could find the best person to pass down the wolf gene… when I was a full wolf, I couldn't have kids. I could now.

But I brushed that out of my head. Because that didn't matter now.

"Embry," I whispered, touching my hand to his face, locking my eyes with his.

My prince had come.

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	2. LEAH: Reactions to the Impossible

**I know I said I was going to keep this a one-shot, but a few people asked me to continue it and I really love this story, so it's going to go on!**

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer, though I think she's super awesome.**

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My hands shook as I reached out to knock on Emily's door. Embry rubbed his hand on my shoulder in what was supposed to be a soothing way, but he apparently didn't know what his touch did to me. My pulse skyrocketed and my skin felt incredibly warm- but not uncomfortably so. I was shaking for a different reason now.

He put his lips to my ear and I whimpered slightly as his warm breath raised the fine hairs on my neck.

"Calm down, Leah," he breathed.

I nodded, trying to focus and failing entirely. Forgetting the reason for our visit, I turned around to meet his gaze.

How had I never noticed his eyes before? They weren't just black, like I had assumed. They were a mix of grays and dark browns, spiraling deeper until I was sure that I could see his _soul_. I reached out my hand to touch his face, that perfect face that I had never looked twice at. Now I couldn't peel my eyes away.

He closed his eyes as my fingers made contact with his cheek and sighed. He took his own hand and pressed it over mine, breathing deeply. Then he opened his eyes slowly, pulling my hand off his face, but keeping our fingers twined. I had never felt so intensely vulnerable before, and I think he felt that, because he pulled me into a warm embrace. I snuggled my face into his massive chest, and he pressed his lips to the top of my hair. My fingers were no longer trembling; I felt safe here in his arms, like nothing could hurt me.

All too soon, I sighed and pulled away. "Remember what we're here for," I whispered, before inhaling deeply and knocking on the door.

I heard the footsteps and I panicked. What if the tribe didn't understand? What if they made Embry stay away from me, because I was no longer a wolf? My mind was spinning with the weight of the horrible possibilities. I was practically hyperventilating when the door opened.

Emily had aged some, though not much. She was slightly wider around the hips and she carried a newborn child in her arms.

"Leah!" she said with evident delight. Her appraising eyes did not miss the fact that my hand was still twined with Embry's, though she made no comment. She gave me a loving one-armed hug, trying not to move the child in the crook of her arm. She did the same to Embry.

"Wow," I said, inclining my head toward the baby. Emily practically glowed, smiling hugely.

"I know. His name is Max."

"Hi, Max," I crooned, squeezing his tiny fingers.

Call me crazy, but ever since I had realized that I couldn't have kids, I wanted them even more. It's just a fact of life- you always want what you can't have. Now that I wasn't a wolf anymore and my body was working again, I could have kids. I thought that once that I had the ability, I wouldn't want them anymore. Wrong.

"He's beautiful," I complimented her, and Emily beamed. Embry apparently had been acquainted with the baby before, because Emily ushered us inside at that moment.

Because Emily would be Emily, there was a mountain of muffins, pancakes, eggs, and orange juice on the kitchen table, which looked in danger of collapsing.

"Feel free to take what you like," Emily said, gesturing with her free arm at the buffet. I took a muffin and a glass of orange juice. Embry took four muffins, two servings of eggs, six pancakes, and a gallon of orange juice. I'd forgotten how _much_ wolves had to eat. Rather than be disgusted, I looked fondly upon Embry as he stuffed the meal into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days. I couldn't help it. I loved him. It wasn't like I loved him in spite of his flaws—whatever they may be—but I loved him because he was flawed. They made up who he was as a person. He wasn't perfect to anyone else- only to me.

Emily watched me speculatively as I went through my little epiphany. I felt awkward under her gaze, so I started some conversation.

"So, where's Sam?" I asked her, taking another muffin from the table.

"He's in the woods, having a meeting with Jacob."

"Jacob's here?" I asked, my heart elevating slightly. I loved Jacob, though in a much different way than I loved Embry. He was my Alpha, and also my best friend. I wanted to apologize and explain for skiving off so fast and leaving him with no explanation.

But Emily shook her head. "No, they can talk to each other when they are both phased. The Cullens and Jacob had to move a couple of months ago."

I frowned. "Where did they go?"

"Alaska for now, but I'm sure they'll find a more permanent place soon."

Embry placed his dish in the sink, and the clink it made reminded me why we were here. My heart thudded uncomfortably again.

Emily chose this moment to speak. "So, would you like to tell me what's going on between you?" Her lips were pursed slightly; she didn't approve. She shifted the sleeping baby to her other arm.

I was at a loss for words. This was exactly the bad scenario I had been expecting; Emily didn't want us to be together.

"How long is Sam going to be out there?" Embry asked Emily suddenly, breaking the sudden tension.

"Probably for another five minutes or so."

Embry nodded. "We should probably wait for him."

Emily raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond.

We waited in silence for Sam's return, none of us up to making pointless conversation. Emily excused herself to put Max back into his crib, and Embry took advantage of the brief moment we had alone.

"Don't be nervous, Leah. Sam will understand," he whispered, squeezing my hand comfortingly. I nodded mutely, not sure if I trusted myself to speak. Embry took his hand and brushed my long hair back, exposing my ear. He kissed it softly and I closed my eyes, my entire body trembling.

"Leah," he breathed my name. I was going to respond, but at that moment Embry straightened up, cursing quietly.

"What the hell is going on here?" Emily asked, her shocked eyes visible from the doorframe.

"Emily-" I tried to explain, but she didn't give me a chance.

"Leah, what are you doing to yourself? You were in love with Sam, and when he Imprinted you were devastated. What if Embry Imprints? It's not something he can control."

"I know, but-"

"But what? You are my cousin, Leah, and I'm trying to look out for you here! I never want to see you hurt, I love you, and you're just digging yourself into a deeper hole!"

"Emily-"

Embry cleared his throat as Emily made for her interruption. We both fell silent. Emily glared at him.

"I already Imprinted," Embry said slowly, his hand wrapping around my waist.

"Then why-." Emily broke off, her mouth creating a circle in shock. "OH!"

I laughed nervously, gazing at Embry for reassurance.

"And so did I," I admitted.

Emily gaped at us in amazement. "Why… how… that…. Wow."

I blushed, sheepishly staring at my shoes. I looked up as the door opened and a very tired looking Sam walked in. He gazed around; first at Emily, then Embry, then me, then the way Embry's hand still clung protectively to my waist.

"Well," he grumbled in his deep voice. "That's different."

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**So are you glad Leah is finally getting the happy ending she wanted? Do you have any ideas for the story?**

**Tell me in your reviews, please!  
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	3. LEAH: Forgiving Sam

**So... on with chapter three!**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer, no matter how many stars I wish on for that to change.

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I played with the hem of my long sleeve shirt, trying to ignore the tense silence. Sam hadn't said a word since his initial comment, and was now sitting down and eating his breakfast as if nothing was happening- as if the world itself hadn't monumentally changed. I watched him eat his third muffin as impatience sparked in me. How long was he going to sit there?

Even Emily was starting to get annoyed, tapping her foot in quick succession. Sam looked up at her with eyes that were bloodshot and ringed by dark shadows. I wondered how many nights he had stayed up late, and whether they were with his pack or with the baby.

"So," Sam said at last, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. I thought that once the conversation started I would calm down; instead, I grew even more anxious.

"Well, umm…" Embry started, as articulate as a doorknob.

"Something really weird happened this morning," I admitted. Embry glared at me, and I knew it was the fact that I said the word 'weird', when in fact it was not weird at all- it was amazing, glorious, incredible even. But the Leah that Sam knew would never use any of these adjectives in daily conversation, and I tried to keep it light.

Sam raised his eyebrows at me though he did not respond. I decided to go on. "See… Embry Imprinted." Sam blinked twice, his eyes growing wide. I took a deep breath. _What the heck?_ I thought to myself. _Might as well go for the home run._ "Embry Imprinted," I repeated, "And so did I. We Imprinted… on each other."

Under different circumstances, I would have laughed uproariously at Sam's reaction. His mouth opened wide and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head; he dropped his hands to his side, not knowing what else to do with them.

"Is that even possible?" he asked after a moment's hesitation.

Embry snorted. "Obviously."

I elbowed him in the stomach playfully. "I haven't phased in a while, Sam. I'm kind of… back to normal."

Sam took the hint, and I'm glad I didn't have to say the word menstruation aloud. Even New Leah wouldn't throw that one around in daily conversation.

"I guess that would make sense," Sam said slowly, his eyes on the ceiling and his brow furrowed. No doubt he was trying to think of a legend that would explain this all.

"No one could see this coming because I'm the first female wolf that we know of," I explained. "And if the whole point of Imprinting is to pass the wolf gene off to our kids, then obviously I couldn't be expected to do it. But now that I'm practically human again… well, I guess these things work." I shrugged.

Sam nodded sagely. "Emily, Embry- can you give Leah and I a moment of privacy?" The two nodded and walked outside into the damp mist that hung in the air. I stared at Sam blankly, not knowing what to expect.

"Leah, I just want to tell you how happy I am for you."

That was unexpected. "Happy?"

Sam sighed, putting his head in his hands. "You don't know what it was like, feeling how broken you were when you were part of my pack… knowing that I hurt you, and I couldn't do anything to make it better, and that I would keep on hurting you because I could never leave Emily." He looked at me, and he seemed relieved as well as happy and remorseful. It was an odd combination that only Sam could pull off. "I'm just happy that you aren't going to be hurt anymore."

I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears. Crying was not usually a Leah thing to do… but I was a new woman. Embry had changed me. I wasn't afraid to show my emotions now that I knew that I wouldn't get hurt.

"Thank you, Sam. And I know I was kind of rude… all the time… and I want to apologize for that."

Sam smiled. "You don't have to apologize. But you're forgiven anyway."

I smiled back at him, knowing that we could finally be friends. I was finally over Sam after all those years. I was healthy now- whole. I guess I hadn't realized that a part of me was missing until I found Embry.

Speaking of Embry… where was he? My heart twanged uncomfortably with something that was very nearly pain. I didn't like not to be around him.

Sam watched me grow steadily more agitated and laughed. "Go find Embry. You two go have fun."

I grinned widely at him, my last friendly gesture before I ran out the door. Embry and Emily were standing in the garden, where Emily was pulling out the few weeds that dared to intrude on her flowers. I sighed in relief when I was with him again; some unknown lever in my body released my tension.

Emily raised one eyebrow. "You kids be careful." Then she smiled warmly and went back inside to her husband.

I took Embry's hand and weaved my fingers through his. "So, what do we do now?" I asked him.

"Hmm…" he mused teasingly, a smile playing across his face. My breathing hitched and my stomach dropped as I saw his expression. He was abruptly serious, taking my face in his massive hand. His fingers brushed my cheek, my nose, my lips. He kept his pointed finger on my bottom lip, the heat making it warm. "Maybe we should try something," he said quietly.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I didn't want to move. I didn't want to breathe. I just wanted to keep this moment perfect in my mind, forever.

Embry leaned down slowly, his hot breath mixing with mine. My lips were trembling with anticipation. We were less than an inch apart, and he was so close, and I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent and it was wonderful and-

"Hey! Get a room!" Sam called from the window behind us. I blushed furiously as I realized we were still in front of Sam and Emily's house and that we had an audience. I didn't move, however, and Embry took a moment to flash a very rude hand gesture over his had before he kissed me, and I forgot all of that. All I knew was that I wanted to stay here forever, never moving and never ever coming up for air.

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**What a cute couple.**

**Anyway, I know it seems very fluffy at the moment, but I promise you that some real troubles are ahead for our dynamic duo!**

**Also: I don't know if you noticed, but I beefed up the summary a little bit and upped the rating to T, for minor language and hints of sexual behavior, so if that bothers you, don't read on. Now that it's not the one-shot that it originally was, I want to make sure that the rating police don't come after me.**

**Reviews would be much appreciated :)  
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	4. LEAH: Romantic Escapades

**More fluff... but it's serious fluff. I promise that next chapter will be the one where all the problems start.**

**Thank you for all that have read/reviewed this story so far! What was only supposed to be a oneshot is now several chapters long! You guys are awesome :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Leah. Or Embry. Or La Push. Or- well you get the picture.**

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My left arm was lazily strewn out the passenger side window, the cool breeze whipping my hair around my neck. I glanced at my driver and a warm feeling bubbled in my stomach, a smile unconsciously gracing my face. The side of Embry's mouth twitched as he felt my gaze.

"That's really distracting, you know," he complained teasingly.

"What is?"

"You looking at me like that. I can barely resist parking the car and kissing you as it is."

I grinned widely, butterflies erupting in my stomach. "Then why don't you?"

He shook his head. "Nuh-uh. No stops until we get there."

"And you aren't going to tell me where "there" is, right?"

He snuck a glance at me, smiling widely. "Correct."

I sighed, pretending to be annoyed, but I was utterly content. Even though I had no idea where he was taking me, I couldn't help but be in a good mood when I was with Embry.

I thought back to a few weeks ago, when Embry and I had left Sam and Emily's to go to my house. My mom was there with Charlie, her fiancé. Seth even came home when he heard I was back. He had been at Melissa's, of course. They spent every waking moment together. Each and every one of my family members had the same reaction to the news: they were happy to finally see my happy. I was relieved that everyone was taking this so well.

The weeks had passed blissfully without incident, each day more wonderful than the next. Then this morning Embry showed up at my house with a brilliantly yellow wildflower in one hand and the keys to Jacob's old Rabbit in the other.

"We're going on a trip," he informed me.

"Don't I get to give my consent?" I asked playfully- not that he didn't know my answer already. I would walk to the ends of the earth as long as he was with me, and I knew he would do the same.

Embry pretended to deliberate this for a few moments before shaking his head. "Nope, I think I'm just going to kidnap you." With that, he easily slung me over his shoulder and towed me to Jacob's old car, me laughing the whole way there.

"So, how long have you had the Rabbit?" I asked Embry, coming back to the present time.

He shrugged, keeping his hands on the wheel. "Jacob left it to me when the Cullens moved on. He couldn't be without Nessie- he went with them. There was no point in taking the Rabbit with him."

I nodded. "So are you still in his pack, or did you join Sam's again?"

"I'm still with Jake. He's a great Alpha, even if he is in a different state."

"Isn't that weird though? Having Jake in Alaska and still being your Alpha?"

Embry shook his head. "Nah. When we're all phased, it doesn't matter the distance, we can still hear each other perfectly. I don't phase that often anymore, though, now that we don't need to- except for the frequent occasions when I get too angry." He shook his head sadly. "I'm getting better at it though- with you I'm not so angry." He shot me a smile that could have warmed the frozen tundra. "I'm sure my mom's going to be happy about this. She still doesn't know about the whole I-turn-into-a-giant-wolf thing, so it was hell when I had to keep sneaking out at night. She'd ground me just about every day."

Embry's mom wasn't part of the tribal elders, so she wasn't in on the wolf secret. We couldn't tell her that we Imprinted on each other- only that we were dating, which didn't even being to cover how I felt about Embry. I couldn't even imagine how it would be if my mom didn't know about the wolves. Pack life would have been hell.

But I was frowning now, going over what Embry said in my head. He still phased every once in a while- he still wasn't aging. That was all good and fine when we were both the same age- even though I was twenty one and he was eighteen, physically, at least, we were both in our twenties- but what was going to happen when I was forty, even fifty- and he still looked like an overgrown teenager? It wouldn't matter to me, but I'd rather us be equals, true partners, than anything else.

"What is it?" Embry asked quietly, his eyes flashing to my sullen expression.

"It's just… you're not aging," I explained quietly. "And I get older… every day."

Embry nodded somberly, his eyes flashing between me and the road so that he could focus on us both at the same time. "I know. I'm working on not phasing for you, Leah, so that we could both live out our lives together."

I focused my gaze on my shoes, my shoulders slumping. "I guess I just wanted to be with you forever- literally."

"Don't worry, Leah. We're going to have a long and happy life together, and that's all that matters."

I nodded, not so sure.

Because when life grants you the most amazing wish of all- a true soul mate, someone that's literally made for you- wouldn't you want forever, not just fifty more years? Again the unfairness of me being a wolf hit me- even when I finally got to Imprint, I still had to die. And Embry would die with me because he couldn't live without me- that's what really killed me. I've never known anyone to outlive their Imprintee by long in our legends.

What would happen if I phased?

I shivered as the question entered my head. My biological processes would stop again- would my Imprinting on Embry be reversed? My eyes widened with horror. No doubt that my feelings for him would never, ever change- but if he was no longer Imprinted on me, then there would be a chance that he would Imprint on someone else- leaving me with my old Sam situation all over again.

Phasing was not an option.

The car squealed to a stop, jerking me out of my contemplations.

"We're here?" I asked, frowning. We were, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. It was a beautiful scene- mountains, forests, and a large lake- but there were no physical buildings in sight.

"Yep. Welcome to the Olympic National Forest!"

"Erm… okay?" I had been here before as a child, but I hadn't returned in years. It was still breathtakingly gorgeous, but I had no idea what we were doing here.

Embry just chuckled. "This is going to be my second-to-last phase, Leah, I'm warning you."

"Wha-," I started to ask, but abruptly turned around, embarrassed, as Embry started stripping off his shirt. The words died in my throat. I'd seen Embry naked, of course- it was an inevitable fact of being part of a pack of wolves that can transform at a moment's notice, with our without their clothing's consent. Now that we were… whatever we were… it didn't have quite the same connotations.

He chuckled, and abruptly the sound became deeper and rumbling- the sound a wolf would make if it could laugh. I turned to face the furry muzzle of my soul mate. I laughed as he nuzzled his wet nose into my neck, picking up the pile of clothes on the ground.

"What do you need to phase for?" I asked him, stroking his neck. It would have been so easy to talk if I had phased too- but I guessed all too well what would happen if I did that. God could simply take Embry away, saying, "Just kidding, Leah. I know I've been kind of cruel to you, so I'm just keeping up my ways here. You can't love him unless you can have lots of pretty wolf-babies."

Again, I realized that phasing was not an option.

To answer the question I had spoken aloud, Embry seated his rump on the ground, his massive tail thumping on the dirt. I stared at him.

"You want to give me a piggy back ride?" I asked uncertainly.

Embry gave his strange bark/laugh again, nodding his head. I shrugged and swung my leg in between the space where his thigh met his body, pushing myself up on his furry back.

"So, where to?" I asked him good naturedly, though I couldn't deny the strangeness of the situation.

I didn't need to read his mind to decipher what he meant when he shook his head: it was a surprise. I sighed, leaning my head in between his shoulder blades. Embry rose and started to run.

Memories of my wolf days- the pleasant ones- flooded back to me, especially the times that I had raced Jacob. I had always felt so free, so connected with the earth… it was strange feeling that same thing as a human.

Embry ran for nearly an hour, though he didn't seem to get tired. His paces fell into a rhythm that soothed me… it was only when that rhythm slowed that I realized that we had arrived. I slid off Embry's back as I gazed in wonderment at my surroundings.

We were on top of a mountain, overlooking the lake and forest scene I had seen earlier. It all looked different from this angle. Breathtaking.

The air was thinner and colder here; I was thankful I had worn a sweatshirt. The clouds were close enough nearly to touch.

"It's gorgeous," I breathed.

Embry wrapped his warm arms around me; I hadn't realized he'd phased back. I'd been too caught up with the picturesque view.

"I know something that's more beautiful," he whispered in my ear. "You."

I blushed, turning around to nuzzle my face into his neck. His skin warmed my arms, which had goose bumps from the temperature up here.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked him. I kept my arms firmly around his waist, but I tilted my head up to look at his dark eyes.

He brushed the hair away from my face. "I wanted to be alone with you."

I grinned. "We're always alone together."

He shook his head, smiling lightly. "I wanted it to be just you and me- no one else for miles."

"I like that plan," I whispered, standing up on my tiptoes to peck him on the lips.

When I pulled away, Embry was staring at me intently in a way I've never seen before; the electricity between us could have powered an entire city for weeks. I leaned in again, slower this time. His lips were soft, tentative at first, but grew stronger and more passionate. I moved my own against his, tangling my fingers through his short, silky black hair. He gasped in pleasure and pulled me closer into his chest.

We only paused once.

"I love you," I told him firmly.

He smiled, stroking my face. "I love you, more."

I shook my head. "Not possible."

"We can argue about it later," he said, grinning.

I would have protested, but he was so close. Besides, we had all the time in the world.

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**And... end scene! **

**Reviews would be welcome.  
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	5. LEAH: Phase

**So, right now it's 1:46 AM my time. Why am I up? Because I'm writing stories for all of you, of course! I'm so caught up in this fanfic that I just churned out about three and a half more chapters, so they should be coming your way soon!**

**Disclaimer: No, I'm not Stephenie Meyer. Leah and the rest of these characters all rightfully belong to her.**

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It had been two weeks since our escapade in the mountain.

And Embry hadn't called.

I hated myself for being that whiny, pathetic girl that waits by the phone all day waiting for her boyfriend to call. I tried to convince myself that this was different- this wasn't just the head cheerleader waiting for the quarterback of the football game to take her out to pizza. This was me and Embry.

So why hadn't he called?

Everything had been perfect! I had never felt so safe, so loved than when I was in Embry's arms. It was heaven on earth.

Apparently, Embry didn't think so.

He told me he was going on a trip for a little while as he dropped me home, his face set determinedly. I told him to hurry back, he had smiled and brushed my hair away from my face, and-

No.

No, I wasn't going to dwell on these memories. I was going to do something productive until Embry got home. I glanced at my already spotless room, the product of an antisocial life. My mom and Charlie were out working out wedding details and Seth had taken Melissa on a date somewhere. I had lost touch with nearly everyone else on the reservation. Where was I going to go?

I realized with a pang that Imprinting was both a blessing and a curse- it was a blessing for the obvious reasons, but I spent all my time with Embry. It didn't matter before because he was always around. Now I realized that it seemed my life was being defined by him. I shivered slightly. Did I really want that?

Frustrated, I snatched my jacket from the hook by the door, going out into the misty world. I inhaled the wet air deeply, trying to futilely clear my mind. It was the afternoon but the sun was hidden beneath the clouds. I missed the sun. I missed Embry.

Great. A whole thirty seconds without thinking of him. That must be a record.

An idea suddenly sprung to my mind- I would go see Emily. I hadn't talked to her since we told her and Sam about the Imprinting, but we used to be so close before all this wolf business got in the way. Happy now that I had a task in mind, I set off to her house.

Even if I didn't know by heart where Emily and Sam lived, it wouldn't have been hard to guess. Emily had a habit of brightening even the dullest of cases; even in the rainiest town on earth, she still made her house radiate happiness. Bright flowers grew in a box under the windowsill, the tiny house was painted a yellow that seemed to be the color of sunshine itself, and the green lawn was meticulously landscaped. It was all very beautiful. But I didn't go inside, feeling as though I might be sick.

Through the misty window, I could see Emily and Sam. They were just dancing, holding each other close and spiraling slowly. But the love in their eyes was evident- even a blind person would be able to see it. The way she looked at him… the way he looked at her… the way he kissed her on the forehead….

It was all too much for me.

The frustration, anger, and anxiety I had been trying to repress blew up in full force; heat radiated down my spine and tremors shook every bit of my body. _No!_ I tried to stop it desperately, but I couldn't. The last thing I did was run toward the woods before my body exploded.

My clothes were shredded in an instant. I had only been wearing cheap foam flip-flops, so not much harm done there. The necklace that I had worn since I was a child burst into a thousand fragments which I could see easily with my heightened senses.

My wolf senses. I had phased.

_Leah? What the hell are you doing? _I froze; it wasn't my voice that had spoken these words in my head.

_… Jacob?_

_Live and in studio._

_Where are you?_

_Alaska. Nessie and I are hunting._

_Oh._ I was too confused to say anything else.

_So I thought you quit the wolf thing?_

_I did. I was on a roll for a while._

_So why are you here?_

_I got angry._

_Why?_

_Embry didn't call._

Even thinking these words shattered my heart into a thousand pieces. Jacob was silent, reading my memories that were replaying in my mind. He mentally winced at a few parts that were a bit too personal for him, but other than that he took the news coolly. After a few minutes, he was completely filled in on the situation.

_Shit,_ he thought to me.

_Yeah. I know._

_So what are you going to do now?_

I hesitated. What _was_ I going to do now? I still felt my passionate love for Embry, but would he feel the same when he met my eyes again? Would his Imprinting on me be taken away?

_I don't think you can reverse an Imprint,_ Jacob said, cutting into my thoughts.

_You don't know that. We didn't think I would ever Imprint either, but that happened- once I stopped being a wolf. _

Jacob's mind was silent as he realized the truth of my statement.

_Shit_, he said again after a while.

_Thanks for your advice,_ I thought sarcastically.

_Well, I don't know what to tell you, Lee. You'll just have to wait and see. This was just one phase- that doesn't mean your body is going to stop again. Give it some time and see how it goes. And trust me, if Embry feels even what tenth of what I can see you feel for him, then he'll come back._

_Thanks Jake. I mean, thanks Most Kind Alpha._

I heard Jacob snort in his mind. _Our pack is kind of broken up. I don't think I can be called and Alpha anymore- not that I liked it very much then, either._

_You'll always be my Alpha, Jacob. You'll always be my best friend, no matter what happens. I want you to know that._

_Jeez, Lee, are you experimenting with estrogen hormones? I've never heard you say anything like that._

_Don't be an asshat. I'm trying to be nice here._

_I know. You know that you'll always be my best friend too, right? My very best Beta._

_Thanks, Jake. I'm going to phase back now._

_Good luck._

_I'll need it._

I carefully pulled myself back together, sighing when I was in human form again. I glanced at the pile of fabric that lay scattered throughout the wooded area, and I picked a few of the bigger pieces up, tying them haphazardly so they covered a bit of me up. Then I made my way to Emily's house.

I was too distraught to laugh at her face when she opened the door. She looked, bug eyed, at my near-naked state, hurriedly rushing me inside. She shooed Sam out of the house, pulling some of her clothes from her tiny dresser.

"Put these on. What happened?"

She could obviously tell, but I went through the story anyway. I started crying halfway through, which made me feel utterly ridiculous. Emily stroked my hair soothingly, murmuring reassurances in my ear as I bawled my eyes out. Eventually, I got myself under control.

"Go wash your face in the bathroom," Emily said, pushing me gently. "Come on, it's alright."

I rinsed my face with cool water, not recognizing the tear-stained and red-eyed stranger in the mirror. Was it possible that a few weeks ago I was happy?

I heard the shrill ring of the phone in the kitchen and Emily's quick footsteps as she answered it before it could wake Max. She knocked on the bathroom door a few seconds later.

"Leah!" she whispered excitedly. "Leah, it's Embry!"

That was all I needed to hear.

"Hello?" I asked breathlessly once I ripped the phone from Emily's hand.

"Leah," Embry said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I finally tracked you down."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been calling you for almost an hour, but your mom finally picked up and said you weren't home. Then I called Melissa's to see if Seth knew where you were, and—"

"Where are you?" I interrupted.

"I'm at my grandmother's house. She lives on a different Reservation."

His grandmother's house? My life was turning upside down because of _his grandmother?_

"Why didn't you call until now?"

"Oh, Lee, it was horrible. There was this big storm that knocked down most of the telephone lines in the res and my grandma's house flooded through… I couldn't leave her alone, and I couldn't call you. I'm so sorry that this is taking so long. They only got the phone lines up in the last hour or so."

I breathed a sigh of relief, hearing the honesty and eagerness in his voice. He didn't forget about me, then.

"When will you be home?"

"Two weeks, three at most. I promise you that if it takes longer than that, I'll have someone else come up here and stay with my grandma so I can leave. I miss you too much, Lee."

"I miss you too," I murmured into the receiver. Emily smirked as she leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom.

I heard chatter in the distance from his line, and he shouted something over his shoulder. He came back to the receiver with a sigh. "Listen, Lee, I have to go. My grandma's being pretty demanding. But I love you, I love you so very much. I miss you and I'll come home soon. I love you."

"I love you too," I said.

"Bye."

"Goodbye."

I gave the phone back to Emily, who gathered up the curly white cord that had stretched from the kitchen and walked into the other room to replace the phone back on its hook. I followed her.

With the news that Embry was coming back home, I was able to relax. He still loved me. Nothing had changed. Every so often the thought crossed my mind that he would probably have to look into my eyes for something to change, but I pushed that away. Nothing was going to come between me and Embry, not now.

Two and a half weeks later, I was staring intently at my calendar.

It had caught my eye because, next to the number 14, the date that Embry had called, there was a little circle that I had marked with a permanent marker. A reminder of something that should have happened that day. Something that usually happened to me once a month.

I picked up the phone with a shaky hand, dialing Emily's number. It came out all wrong. I took a deep breath, taking my time with the numbers.

"Hello?" Emily's voice rang through the receiver.

"I need help," I whispered.

"What's wrong?"

"I phased the other day."

"I know that," Emily said slowly.

"I phased the other day, and now I'm late."

"Late for what?"

"I'm. Late." I hissed through my gritted teeth, giving both words added emphasis.

Emily understood. "Oh my God."

There was a moment of silence. Then Emily asked, "How late?"

"Over two weeks."

There was a slight pause as Emily processed this. "Well, that doesn't mean anything. It could just-"

"You don't understand Emily. This is exactly how it happened the first time I phased. I thought I was just a couple of days late. Then my body just stopped altogether."

Emily was silent on the other line, and tears began to roll down my cheeks as I realized what that meant. There was no hope, no other solution. I was a wolf again- so what did that mean?

What would that mean for me and Embry?

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**So when Embry comes home, what will happen to his and Leah's relationship?**

**Find out in.. (dun dun da dun!) the next chapter!**

**I hope you're all enjoying this. It's amazing to write, and I'd love to hear what you'd think- so please review!  
**


	6. LEAH: Proposal

**This chapter is a relatively short one, but also incredibly pivotal, so I figured I might as well post it today instead of waiting any longer. **

**New chapters coming soon! They're already written and all!**

**Disclaimer: No, I'm not Stephenie Meyer. She's awesome. I am slightly less so.**

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I was kind of an emotional wreck.

I stayed at Emily's house that night, not daring to go home and face my family. Tears ran down my cheeks and I muffled a sob with the couch pillow. I felt ashamed of myself. All of my hard work, everything I had done to keep myself human- it was all for nothing. And now when Embry, my beautiful Embry, looked in my eyes, he would realize that there was nothing there. And then he might Imprint on someone else.

Hence the "emotional wreck" thing.

Emily was watching me intently from the doorway that led from her and Sam's room to the living room, where I was staying on the couch. It was morning now; I wasn't sure how I made it through the night, but I had. Now I had yet another day to face.

The knock at the door startled us both.

"No, lie down," Emily insisted when I tried unsuccessfully to sit up. I obeyed.

I heard the hurried whispers at the door as Emily tried to shoo away whoever it was, but the visitor was insistent.

"Lee? Leah!" he called.

My heart nearly stopped altogether.

"Em-Embry?" I managed to choke out. I regretted it a moment later. I didn't want Embry to realize that he didn't love me anymore. I cursed all our wolf legends with as much force as I could muster. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be in this stupid mess.

"Leah," Embry sighed, closer now. I didn't dare look up into his eyes. Instead, I kept steady focus on his shoes, which were splattered with rain.

"Hi," I whispered in a weak voice that was not my own. What happened to the strong Leah? The one that didn't take crap from anyone? The one that could stand up for herself?

She was gone, along with all the rest of the pieces of her life.

"Leah, what's wrong?" Embry asked anxiously, leaning down. I instantly rolled over, facing the back of the couch now instead of him. He brushed my hair softly whispering sweet nothings in my ear as he tried to reassure me.

"Embry," I croaked, interrupting his musical voice. The sound of his name made another piece of my heart splinter, and I was embarrassed as I burst out into sobs. He kept up his soft murmuring, not knowing that his unfailing kindness was the reason I was so upset. It would end soon.

"Listen, Leah. I'm going to do this a bit sooner than I expected, okay?"

"What?"

"There's a reason I went to my grandma's res this weekend."

I didn't look over to him as I asked, "What was it?"

I heard him shift in his rain gear, pulling something out of his pockets and then moving some more.

"She had something that I wanted to give to you. An old family heirloom."

I didn't answer. He was giving me gifts now. This was going to be harder than I thought.

"Leah," he breathed. "Look at me."

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself. Then, with a deep breath, I rolled over and looked Embry in the eyes.

Nothing.

I didn't feel any change in my body. When we had first Imprinted, it was like gravity had shifted- and yet now, nothing. I didn't feel the Imprinting going away. The only reaction I had when I looked in his eyes was my standard one—breathing accelerated, pulse racing, undiluted happiness bubbling in my stomach.

And I could tell from the solemnity of his dark eyes that he didn't change a bit, either.

I started laughing and crying with relief, knowing that everything was okay. It was fine, we were fine. My happy ending could commence.

Embry stared at me and shifted uncomfortably. "That's not exactly the reaction I was hoping for," he murmured.

That's when I realized what he was doing. He was positioned on one knee, a tiny box in his hands that was opened to reveal a small but unfailingly gorgeous diamond ring.

My crying cut off in an instant and my breathing hitched.

"Leah Clearwater, will you marry me?"

My head was spinning. How was this possible? There was no way that Embry and I should still be Imprinted if I was a wolf again. Things just didn't work that way. I thought back to what Jacob had said back when I had phased- it was only one time that I lost control. There was no reason to jump to conclusions and think I was a wolf again.

So then what had caused my period to stop?

I could think of only one reason.

My hands instinctively fell to my stomach, trying to feel something that wasn't there, not yet at least. Tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes, though they were from happiness this time. My heart seemed to grow several sizes, like the Grinch in _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_. I felt like my chest would explode with the severity of my love for the unborn child who I hadn't realized existed thirty seconds before.

And then I looked back at Embry and my heart nearly stopped again.

He didn't know. He didn't know what he was getting himself into- he just thought we were two lovesick soul mates with all the future in the world to get crazy and have kids. He didn't know that, as soon as he put that ring on my finger, he would be tied down to a life he didn't ask for.

So that was why, when I realized Embry was still anxiously awaiting my response, I answered with a sob, "No. I'm sorry."

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***Holds hands up in front of face***

**DON'T KILL ME.**

**I promise that I will get up the new chapters A.S.A.P so you're not left hanging on this cliffhanger!  
**


	7. LEAH: A Home for the Homeless

**I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY.**

**And to show you how sorry I am, here's the next chapter. It's not much and not a lot gets resolved here, but I promise you that I will get the next chapter up FIRST THING AFTER SCHOOL TOMORROW.**

**And just to explain cause a few of you were wondering WHY LEAH COULD POSSIBLY TURN HIM DOWN: Leah's kind of blind. She doesn't realize how truly committed Embry is to her- that he wouldn't care that she was pregnant. She only sees how much she loves him, and she loves him so much that she is willing to cut herself out of his life in order for him to move on. I mean, babies are cute and fun and all, but they are also a ton of work, work that any normal eighteen year old wouldn't be able to handle. Leah doesn't exactly realize that Embry is not your average eighteen year old- he's so much more grown up and mature.**

**But that's what Leah is basically thinking right now: that she's doing the right thing by leaving Embry. She's giving him the life he deserved: one without her or a baby tying him down so that he is free to do whatever he wants.**

**Disclaimer: No, I'm not--- oh whatever. We all know that I'm not Stephenie Meyer by now.  
**

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_Mom, Charlie, and Seth-_

_First, let me say I'm sorry._

_Second, let me warn you not to look for me. You won't find me._

My hand hesitated, my pen hovering over the legal pad. That wasn't exactly true. It would probably be very easy to find me.

I took a deep breath, and wrote on.

_This isn't your fault, so don't blame yourself. I need to work out some things with myself. I'm sorry for leaving again so soon after coming back. I know I'm a jerk, and I hope that, someday, you'll be able to forgive me._

_I don't know how long I'll be, but it will be awhile. Someday, I will come back- I __promise_. _Don't forget that. Don't forget me._

_With all my love,_

_Leah_

I ripped off the yellow sheet of lined paper, folding it in half and leaving it on the tiny kitchen table. My family would find it soon enough. Then I gathered what remaining strength I had and started the next note.

_Embry,_ I wrote. The words swam as my eyes filled with tears, but I brushed them angrily away with the back of my hand. I gritted my teeth and commenced writing.

_Embry,_

_I'm sorry. I wish I could explain, but I can't. I can only tell you that I love you- that I love you with all my heart and soul and I will never find anyone else._

_How cliché is it that I'm going to say, it's not you, it's me? But that's the truth. I would have gladly married you under different circumstances, but now is just not the right time._

_I know how cryptic I'm being, but it's for your own good. It would be better for you to forget all about me and move on._

_I love you. I miss you. But I can't be with you._

_Lee._

Folding that sheet in half as well, I stuck it in my pocket. Emily was waiting for me outside in Sam's weather-beaten Honda. I stuffed my duffel bag in the backseat before climbing in the passenger side.

Emily was quiet, her lips pulled into a stern line. We drove for nearly half an hour without saying a word.

Finally, she broke the tense silence. "You're being absolutely idiotic, Leah."

"No, no I'm not."

Emily sighed. "I don't know why you turned down Embry. You two are made for each other- you Imprinted for crying out loud! Why won't you marry him?"

Why wouldn't I marry Embry? Well, for one thing, I was carrying his child. For all normal couples in the world, that would probably automatically necessitate marriage in order to avoid scandal. But there wasn't anything normal about me and Embry, and there never would be.

He wanted to marry me out of love, not realizing how truly tied down he would be. Wouldn't it be better for him, for _both_ of us if he could live his life freely, the way he deserved? He was eighteen; he didn't need to worry about a child now. He was just barely out of childhood himself!

But I didn't say these things aloud to Emily. I hadn't told anyone about the pregnancy, even after I confirmed it with half a dozen tests. The less people that knew of my situation, the better. So far, the only one in the loop was myself.

I was strong. I was independent. Wasn't this what I had been wishing for in Embry's absence? For my life to not revolve around him?

Be careful what you wish for.

Because maybe my life didn't revolve around Embry anymore- although he was still a definite, driving factor that I would never be able to get over- my precious baby was what now dictated which way my life would go.

"Leah! I asked you a question."

Oh, right. Emily wanted to know why I couldn't marry Embry.

"It's just not a good time for me," I said, which was true.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to be tied down right now." That was a full blown lie. It wasn't me I was worried about- it was Embry.

"You're worried about the _commitment?_" Emily asked incredulously.

If she only knew what I was committed to now.

"I just need to figure some things out," I said quietly. Emily recognized the pain in my voice and did not question me again.

We arrived in Seattle after another long bout of silence.

"Where do you want me to drop you off?" Emily asked in a strained voice.

I hesitated. I knew that the crumpled map I had printed out from the library was in my pocket next to Embry's letter, so I would know how to get to my destination. However, I didn't want Emily to know where I was going. It would kind of be a dead giveaway.

"Here is fine," I murmured, mentally calculating the distance in my mind. It wasn't too far. And it wasn't raining today, either, so I wouldn't get completely soaked.

"Do you even have a place to live?" she asked sharply.

I nodded. "Of course." Not exactly a lie. I had a place in mind, though I had no idea if they would take me.

"Don't do this Leah," Emily pleaded as I hefted my duffel bag over my shoulder. I stared at her pain face in the window, my heart breaking. At least this was the only goodbye I had to do face to face.

"Can you give this to Embry?" I whispered, pulling out the note I had written him.

She stared at me blankly. "You're saying goodbye in a _note_?"

I swallowed, though there was a lump in my throat that was obstructing the pathway.

"I'm sorry, Em. For everything. But this is what's best for me now."

A silent tear slid down the three scars on her face.

"I'll miss you," she whispered.

"I'll miss you too."

And with that, I shut the door, walking away in the wrong direction, just in case she was thinking of coming after me later. It was only when I saw that she had driven away that I pulled out my map, finding my way to my destination.

The sign greeted me like a ray of hope.

_Catholic Community Services of Western Washington_.

I'd never been really religious. Neither of my parents had really pressed it, and the first time I had been really exposed to the whole organized religion thing was at my father's funeral. I'd spent the day in awe, listening to the preacher speak about things like life after death and the forgiving Lord, desperate to focus on anything but my father's still, white body in the open casket.

It was one of the worst days of my life, seeing that it was also the day that I had first phased. Still, that seed of religion had been planted, and I mulled over some of the prayers from time to time.

I was in no way converted. I hadn't seen the light or any of that stuff that people on TV claim. But I was intrigued, and I couldn't be more grateful for Catholics than at this moment.

See, this was a homeless shelter. But not only that- they offered services to unwed teenage mothers.

Something I would become in nine months time.

"Hi," I greeted the woman at a desk in the front office. "I'm going to need a bed."

As I gave her my information and told her my situation, I rubbed my stomach unconsciously. It was amazing to think that there was a little _person_ growing inside there, however minuscule he or she might be at the moment.

My little Embry. The only piece of him I had left.

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**A little bit of trivia: The Catholic Community Services of Western Washington actually exists. Yep. I did a bit of internet research so that I would be able to see where Leah was going to go.**

**And if you would like to control your raging curiosity ( I hope!) of what is going to happen in the next chapter, you can check out my new oneshot, You Asked Me to Tell You, which I just wrote- literally. I mean I put up the story like two minutes ago. But I like it, and I would really appreciate if some of you read it and told me what you thought!**

**I'm going to change the chapter titles around a bit, just a word of warning. I need to change narrators in a bit, so I'm just going to put a giant LEAH in front of her chapters, and whoever narrates when it changes on theirs.**


	8. LEAH: Demons

**Okay, here it is! The next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: Leah and everyone else are property of Stephenie Meyer. The three little boys and Mrs. Armor are mine, although I did steal EJ's name from Breaking Dawn.**

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It was EJ's first day of kindergarten, and I was relatively proud of myself.

First, I had let him go without the tearful shenanigans that the other mother's put on, and then my little boy had taken a deep breath and then walked into the unknown with his head held up high.

That was my boy. Strong. Brave. And full of all things good.

I smiled as I thought of him, and my eyes unconsciously flickered to the clock on top of the oven. Only three more hours and then I would pick him up. I promised him I would take him out for ice cream this morning, and I smiled as I remembered the way his eyes lit up. He was so like his father.

I sucked in a deep breath, steadying myself.

Despite the promise I had made to my family, I had never gone back to La Push, too ashamed to face the demons lurking there. No one knew that I had a child- I had lost contact with basically everyone from my past: my mom, Seth, Emily… Embry. My heart cracked on the last name.

It was harder than I thought it would be to put them behind me. But when I first held EJ in my arms after those agonizing hours of labor, everything fell into place. I needed this baby boy like I needed air to breathe; it was equal to the devotion of an Imprinting. I was unwaveringly loyal to my son, and he trusted me implicitly.

And, also, I was too ashamed to tell my loved ones the reason for my absence.

I glanced around the room, looking for something to occupy myself; I would have cleaned the apartment to pass the time, but it was already spotless. I couldn't help feeling a swell of pride as I surveyed my home. It was _mine_. I had singlehandedly raised my son, gotten a job, and done damn well at both of them. There had been hard times, and we hadn't left the shelter until EJ was two… and a half… but I had made it. I was finally back on my feet after starting out with literally nothing but the bag on my shoulder.

I set to organizing my files; I was secretary at the shelter that had given me my home for the last three or so years. It didn't pay much, but between that and the time I spent moonlighting on the weekends at the local bookstore, EJ and I were getting along fine. We didn't need much, just each other.

It felt like ages until it was time to pick my son up from school; time itself seemed to have slowed and stopped. Finally, it was acceptable enough to leave.

I had to walk; we didn't own a car. Whenever we needed to make long trips, we used Vera's tiny little Civic. She lived in the apartment below me, and she was my very best friend. She was a little older than me, but she too was starting a new life with her husband, Henry, and her little baby. She didn't mind I was an unwed teenage mother and accepted us into her tiny family.

"Momma!" EJ cried as he ran through the school gates and into my arms.

"Hi, honey! How was your day?"

He eyed me suspiciously. "You promised ice cream."

I laughed, touching his nose. "I know. We can go now."

I reached down to pick him up, but he scrambled in my arms. "No, I wanna walk," he explained. I sighed, smiling, and held out my hand to him instead. He took it grudgingly.

EJ refused to talk until we were inside the tiny ice cream parlor that was our favorite; the little devil wanted to make sure that I'd made good on my promise. Once he was satisfied with his vanilla ice cream and chocolate sprinkles, he began to chatter.

He and Henry were in the same class, so that was good, and an older boy named Max had shared his peanut-butter sandwich with him on the playground. There was a girl named Marissa who annoyed him because she followed him everywhere, but he was trying to be nice to her, and a boy named Ronnie was acting mean but he thought he could handle it. They had colored today, and he proudly proclaimed that he stayed inside the lines almost the whole time.

But there came a time in his talk where his dark eyes seemed to dim and he stared at his half-finished ice cream with less enthusiasm than before.

"What is it?" I asked him anxiously. I hoped there was nothing wrong with the ice cream, I couldn't afford another one.

"Momma, do I have a daddy?"

The question caught me off guard, and I froze.

EJ saw my rigid posture, and hastened to explain. For a five year old, the kid was pretty observant.

"Everyone today was talking about their mommies _and_ daddies, and I didn't know what to say."

I tried to smile at him, though I was pretty sure the end result was more of a grimace.

"EJ, you do have a daddy. And he's the best man in the entire world."

"Then where is he?"

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "He's in a different place, a place that's better for him."

EJ's horrified eyes looked up at the ceiling. "He's in _heaven_?!"

"No, no!" I whispered fervently, and he sighed with relief. "He just wasn't ready to be a daddy when you were born, so I got to keep you all to myself." I smiled and tickled his chest, sighing when he became sufficiently distracted.

I always knew this question was going to come up, and I dreaded it every waking moment I had. I should have known today would be the day. I didn't even want to think about the time when EJ would press for more information about Embry, information I couldn't give him because I didn't know. I hadn't spoken to him in years. I wondered if he had already forgotten about me. It would be impossible for me to forget about him, even if I didn't have a perfect, mini replica living with me. EJ was the spitting image of his father. Still, would Embry have gotten over me by now? The thought made my stomach lurch.

The next day, as EJ was in the middle of his second day of kindergarten, I received a phone call.

"Hello?" I asked, thrilled that I had even met the phone bill last month.

"Hello, is this Ms. Clearwater- EJ's mother?"

I immediately sat ramrod straight. "Yes it is. Who's calling?"

"My name is Mrs. Armor, I'm your son's kindergarten teacher. It seems that EJ got in a little fight today at school, and--,"

"Is he hurt?" I demanded.

"Calm down, Ms. Clearwater. I promise you that he has little more than a scratch on his arm." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked.

"If it's not too much trouble, do you think you could come down to the school grounds? EJ is asking for you, and he's refusing to tell the whole story without you there."

I grinned. That was my boy.

"Yes of course."

"The parents of the other boys are coming as well so we can talk this all out. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, of course," I said, before telling her goodbye and hanging up the phone. I donned my jacket- it was barely misting out, but who knew when the rain would begin to fall?- and made my way to the school. It wasn't far away, just a few blocks, though I tried to rush as fast as I could. EJ needed me. There was a car accident a few streets away- I was glad I opted to walk, not that I had another choice.

"Hi, I'm here to see Mrs. Armor," I told the woman in the front office, who directed me to the classroom.

The other students were in recess, it seemed, for when I opened the door there were only three children and the teacher.

"Momma!" EJ greeted me happily, and I was relieved to see with my own eyes that he was really okay.

"Hello, EJ," I said, giving him a kiss on the top of his head. I shook hands with Mrs. Armor, a young woman with pale skin and dark hair who seemed friendly enough.

"Thank you for coming, Ms. Clearwater."

"Of course. Where are the other parents?"

"They are on their way. I guess I should give you a brief summary."

I sat down next to EJ, on the other side of the two other boys, in one of the tiny chairs that was nowhere near large enough to seat someone of my size.

"Well, earlier at the start of recess, I found that EJ, Max, and Ronnie were having a fight. There was some pushing involved, and I made sure that all three were brought inside immediately. However, they didn't want to speak without their parents here, and it is something that concerns all of you, regardless."

I nodded. "EJ, tell me what happened," I murmured soothingly, stroking his black hair.

"Ronnie was teasing me," EJ said with a pout. "He was saying mean things."

"What was he saying, baby?"

"He was makin' fun of me 'cause I don't have a daddy."

My already mangled heart found a way to break again.

EJ didn't notice, and then went on in his tale. "And then Max tried to get Ronnie to stop, but he didn't, and then Ronnie pushed me so Max pushed Ronnie."

The boy who I assumed to be Ronnie stared daggers at EJ. I glared back at him, childish as it was.

"We're so sorry that we're late," a voice said behind me as the door opened. I glanced back to see that four people had entered the room. The front two had the same pale, freckly features as Ronnie, so I guessed that they were his parents and the two behind who were darker skinned were Max's parents.

"It's quite alright," Mrs. Armor assured them as they hung up their coats on pegs by the door. "We were just starting to get things settled." She looked at me. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Ronnie's parents. And that is Mr. and Mrs. Uley, Max's parents."

Uley. _Uley._

No.

Impossible.

A chiming laugh, one I recognized from long ago, another lifetime ago, broke through my frozen mental state. "Actually, Sam's not with us today. I brought Max's god father as a substitute."

Mrs. Armor laughed. "Well, then, that is Mrs. Uley and her friend. Everyone, this is Ms. Clearwater and her son EJ."

I couldn't move, even when I heard the gasp behind me.

"Le-Leah?" Emily stuttered.

I was a statue.

"Momma, what's wrong?" EJ asked, tugging on the sleeve of my coat.

"Nothing, sweetie," I murmured, a reflex reaction.

"Do you three know each other?" Mrs. Armor asked, confused.

"Yes," Emily answered from behind me.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I turned around to face her.

Her face was still familiar, even after all this time. The three scars, souvenirs of life with a wolf, seem to glitter in the fluorescent light of the classroom. Her dark eyes were wide with shock, and her mouth was opened in a perfect O of surprise.

I let out a sharp cry when I saw who she was with.

Could it be possible that all my demons were haunting me today? That would certainly explain why Embry Call was staring at me with astonished eyes.

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**So it's been a while, but our star-crossed lovers are back together again. **

**Next chapter to come soon!  
**


	9. EMBRY: You've Got to be Kidding Me

**Okay, so in the last chapter Leah and Embry crossed paths again. What was Embry thinking?**

**You are about to find out. (That sounded way less creepy in my head.)  
**

**Disclaimer: No, no. I'm still not Stephenie Meyer, though I aspire to be half as awesome as her one day.

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**

_Embry POV_

"Embry, get up."

I ignored her, rolling over to the other side.

"For the love of all that is holy, Embry, get off your lazy ass."

I flipped her off, my face pressed into the couch cushions.

Emily sighed before yanking the blanket that was wrapped around me off, spilling me onto the floor.

"What the hell was that for?" I yelled as I scrambled to get up.

"You need to quit moping!"

I glared at her as I righted myself. "I'm not moping."

Emily sighed again. "Listen, Embry, I don't know what's going on with you, but-,"

"There's nothing going on," I lied swiftly, going into the kitchen. She followed me. Damn.

"You better be putting that in a glass," Emily warned me as I took the orange juice carton from the fridge.

I raised one eyebrow, slowly opening the cardboard mouth. She watched me with narrowed eyes as I brought it to my lips.

"Hey!" I cried as Emily slapped the carton to the ground, splattering me with orange liquid. "So not fair!"

"Embry! I don't know what's going on with you today to make you act like such a smart ass, but cut it out already!"

I glared back, getting my retort ready when the phone rang. Emily stalked off to get it.

There was a reason that I was so upset today. A reason that I couldn't tell Emily because it's been years and she would just think I was insane.

Today was the anniversary of the day I proposed to Leah. And the anniversary of the day that she'd said no. The anniversary of the day my life turned upside down, never to right itself ever again.

I was living with Emily and Sam in Seattle now. They had moved here a few months after the devastating Leah thing happened to me; Emily wanted to send Max to this school here, and then when the commute became an issue, she started renting an apartment, too. It was too much to afford to keep their house and the apartment, so Emily convinced Sam to relocate here for a while, get away from the pack life for their son's sake. Sam didn't like it all that much, but he would do anything for Emily.

I'd moved in with them less than a year later, after my mother had kicked me out, not knowing what else to do with me. I was mopey, angry, sullen, depressed, and I had to sneak out every night to turn into a wolf. Animals didn't handle human emotions well, so I was able to get a few hours of clear thinking- like Novocain on an agonizing pain.

I ripped open the cabinet door a bit too hard, wincing as it came clean off its hinges. Shit. Emily was going to murder me.

"Oh, hell, what did you do?" I stared at the floor, ashamed, as Emily made her reappearance into the kitchen.

"It was an accident," I muttered, not meeting her eyes.

"Yeah, right," Emily said, rolling her eyes. "That was the school. Max was involved in a fight today."

I snorted. "The kid is seven. What could he have possibly done?"

Emily narrowed her eyes. "I'm going down to the school to sort it all out." Her eyes flickered from the orange juice on the floor to the cabinet door in my hand. "Why don't you come with me and save me a lot of cleaning up?"

I sighed. I hadn't exactly gotten my temper under control. But I loved my godson. It's not like my day could get any worse, right?

"Sure, sure," I muttered, then smiled. It was a phrase I had picked up from Jake. I wondered where he was right now. Probably with Nessie… like I should be with Leah.

Why had she said no?

"Yeah, let's go," I muttered as the familiar heat ran down my spine. I grasped at anything that could distract me, and it worked.

"Alright, we'll just have to pick up Sam from work. I'll give him a call." She ran into the other room where the telephone was. I heard her murmur to Sam on the phone in the other room, and I tried to tune it out.

I looked out the window. It wasn't raining yet, it was barely misting, though I was sure the rain would pick up soon enough. My reflection caught my eye in the wet glass. I hadn't changed much, physically, since Leah left me. On the inside, I was a mess. There had been a dark time where I was seriously considering suicide, but then Emily asked me to be godson of Max.

I know, I know. It's so silly. But when I looked into those little brown eyes of his, how could I say no? He was a beautiful kid. He looked a lot like Emily did before the scars, and she had been a real beauty. She still was now, but it was a type of beauty that radiated from the inside.

So Max had pretty much saved my life, which is why I owed him to go to one parent-teacher conference. The kid wasn't violent, so I wondered what had happened for him to get involved in a fight. It must have been rough to tick off Max.

"Sam can't get out of work, it's just going to be us two," Emily announced as she waltzed back into the kitchen, tying a purple scarf around her neck. "Do you mind?"

"Course not," I answered, turning around to face her. I grabbed a light jacket as we walked out. My body was too hot to wear a sweater, like Emily did, even though it was pretty chilly out. It was so hard to quit phasing. I wondered how Leah did it before.

Leah….

Emily got stuck in traffic on the way, which was utterly ridiculous considering the school was just a few blocks from where she lived.

"We should have just walked," I grumbled as we were outstripped by several passing butterflies.

Emily didn't answer, though I knew she agreed with me.

We practically ran through the door of the school, anxious to not be late to the meeting. The woman at the front desk directed us to Mrs. Armor's classroom. We met two other parents on the way in.

"Hi, I'm Emily Uley and this is Embry Call," Emily introduced us to the unknown couple.

"Karen and Tim Jones," said the woman, shaking our hands. "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry it couldn't have been under different circumstances."

Emily chuckled. "Well, kids will be kids. Shall we go inside?" Always the polite one, Emily held the door open for the Jones's to enter first.

"We're so sorry that we're late," Mr. Jones apologized as they entered the room, Emily and I behind them.

"It's quite alright," a young woman, who I guessed was Mrs. Armor, answered. "We were just getting things started."

I glanced at the teacher, who was sitting with three children and a young woman whose back was turned to me. My heart gave a strange pang as I realized her hair was pretty much the same texture and color Leah's had been.

_Get a grip_, I thought to myself.

Mrs. Armor was busy introducing the four of us to the young woman I didn't know.

"This is Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Ronnie's parents. And that is Mr. and Mrs. Uley, Max's parents."

The young woman whom I didn't know instantly froze as she heard the name Uley.

Emily laughed. "Actually, Sam's not with us today. I brought Max's god father as a substitute."

I glowed. That was me. God father of a perfect child.

Mrs. Armor laughed. "Well, then, that is Mrs. Uley and her friend. Everyone, this is Ms. Clearwater and her son EJ."

Clearwater.

Ms. Clearwater.

Ms. Clearwater and her _son_?

I didn't give my heart permission to even hope it was her. Because it wasn't her. I refused to think it was her.

Emily did. She gasped. "Le-Leah?" Emily stuttered.

"Momma, what's wrong?" The little boy next to her asked, tugging on the sleeve of her coat.

"Nothing, sweetie," she murmured flatly, and I would recognize that voice anywhere. Even if I was dead.

Leah.

"Do you three know each other?" Mrs. Armor asked, confused.

"Yes," Emily answered from behind me.

_Not anymore_, I amended in my head.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Leah turned to face us.

She studied Emily's features first, as if she were unwilling to truly believe it was her. And then her dark eyes flickered to mine and she let out a strangled cry.

Her face was more aged than I remembered it, though not by much. Her cheeks were rosier and she seemed healthy enough, but the familiar spark in her eyes seemed to have dimmed. But it was most definitely Leah.

How was this freaking possible? Leah had left- left me, left Emily, left La Push for good. How could she possibly be here right now?

With her _son_.

I did the mental calculations in my head. Mrs. Armor was a Kindergarten teacher, so I assumed EJ was in Kindergarten. That meant that Leah would have gotten pregnant about six years ago, taking into account the nine months before the boy was born.

While she was still with me.

She had… cheated on me?

Is that why she left? Is that why she told me she couldn't marry me? Because she was already having a baby with someone _else_?

You have _got_ to be freaking kidding me.

Mrs. Armor was saying something, Emily and the Joneses were moving to the chairs, but I was frozen in the doorway. I opened my mouth to say something, but all that came out was a strange gurgling noise.

"I… I have to go," I whispered, fleeing the room.

Leah's frozen eyes watched me on my way out.

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**I know we've already seen this seen through Leah's eyes, but it's always important to know how Embry is feeling.**

**What do you think? Reviews are greatly appreciated, as always.**

**Also, Twilight Awards are accepting fanfiction nominations! No, this is not an evil plan of mine. I am not sitting in the corner of my room, cackling evilly, whispering, "Now they will nominate THIS one!"**

**There are two things wrong with that. One, I can't cackle. Oh sure, I can heckle and giggle and chuckle, but the cackling gene seems to have skipped a generation.**

**Two, this isn't about me: this is about you and the fanfiction you like! So go out and show your love for your favorite story, whether it be yours or someone elses!**

**Oh, and did I mention: please review? I always want to know what you think of the story.  
**


	10. EMBRYLEAH: Two Sides of Every Story

**This chapter is half in Embry's point of view, half in Leah's. I decided that it was just better to keep it a full chapter rather than split it up into two very short ones, so watch out for the POV change where I point it out. It was originially written all in Embry's POV, so if you see a random "I" or "She" that doesn't seem to belong, just ignore it.**

**Disclaimer: So, I may have taken this story down a completely different road than Stephenie Meyer had ever intended, but it all still belongs to her.**

**

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**_Embry POV_

"Embry!" a voice called after me as I practically flew out of the classroom. "Embry!"

My heart thudded angrily, pulsing hot blood through my veins. The heat crept down my spine, and my eyes rolled back in my head. One by one, my taut fingers clenched into rock hard fists.

I was absolutely out of control.

_What the hell, God?_ I thought to myself. _You make me suffer, but Leah gets to move on with her new family? Thanks a bunch, asshole_.

But then I remembered- Mrs. Armor had called her _Ms._ Clearwater. So she wasn't married?

I hoped that meant she was suffering just as much as I was.

Inhaling deeply through my nose and trying to ignore the metallic taste of anger in my mouth, I turned around slowly to meet the eyes of the woman I both loved and hated.

She was staring at me wide-eyed, like a doe in the headlights. A beautiful doe, one that I hadn't seen in years, one whose hair was like black silk, one who had taken all my happiness with her when she left….

One who had cheated on me.

"Embry, I'm sorry I didn't tell you—," Leah started to say, but I cut her off.

"Oh, you're sorry. That makes this all better. Because your god damn sorry."

The hurt look in her teary eyes was enough to make me regret my words- but only for a second. She didn't deserve my regret. She was a filthy, dirty, traitor.

Before Leah could open her mouth again, her demon child ran into the hallway.

"Momma, Momma!" he cried, running straight into her waiting arms. I noticed with vague distaste that he had the same Native American features that Max had. How dare he.

So someone on the Res had knocked her up, huh? I gritted my teeth. I would kill him.

"Who are you?" the little boy asked, his wide, dark eyes peering over his mother's shoulder. There was something familiar about his face… I had a feeling that I had seen it before. This confirmed my suspicion that someone I knew was his father. The corner of my eyelid twitched. All I wanted was to kill, to rip and tear whoever it was to pieces.

"Who are you?" I retorted. Great. I had regressed to fighting with a five-year-old.

The boy fidgeted until Leah put him down. He stood in front of his mother protectively with his arms crossed. I choked back a laugh. Like the little midget could fight me off.

"I'm EJ."

I snorted. That wasn't so much of a name as it was two letters. EJ noticed my scoffing and narrowed his eyes. Damn. The kid was sharp.

"I was named after my daddy," he explained in a tone that was supposed to be harsh.

I froze.

His daddy, huh? I didn't know anyone by the name of EJ, but I assumed that it stood for something else.

"What does EJ stand for?" I pressed.

Leah started to protest, but I silenced her with a vicious, biting glare.

"Embry. My name is Embry Junior. Embry Seth Clearwater Junior."

Wha… what?

Had he just… but… _what_?!

My brain worked through a thick mental haze of shock.

I opened my mouth then closed it after I realized I could find nothing to say. That… that was … well it wasn't impossible but highly improbable. Leah and I only did it once for crying out loud! And then why had she said no? There was no reason to turn down my proposal if the kid was mine. This wasn't making any sense. None of this was making any sense. It couldn't be true.

EJ apparently thought I was being obstinate, because he went on: "Mommy says he's in a different place now. A place that's better for him. But he's not in Heaven," he tacked on stubbornly. "He'll come back one day, I know he will."

And then he crossed his arms even tighter and glared at me.

"EJ, why don't you go back inside?" Leah suggested softly, not taking her eyes off me. "Mommy will be back in a minute."

EJ threw her a horrified look- he was probably frightened of leaving his mother with a monster like me. But Leah gave him a gentle push toward the door, and he reluctantly left us alone.

Leah stared at the floor, the ceiling—anywhere but at me. I only had eyes for her.

And that's when I realized why I thought I recognized the boy—of course. I had seen that face nearly every day—in the mirror.

EJ was mine.

_Leah POV_

"Embry, I know I should have told you about him," I started in a deathly quiet whisper. "But I didn't want you to think you _had_ to marry me… just for him."

He stared at me, looking confused. How could he possibly not understand? Why couldn't he just get that I had left him so that he could have a normal life?

I tried to explain this as best as I could. "I don't like taking away decisions from you, Embry. I love you, and it would have been selfish for me to make you take on this responsibility when you were so young."

"So you did it yourself? You were pretty young, too. You still are."

Didn't he understand? "But I'm his mother."

"And I'm his father."

I shook my head, staring at the blue and white tiled floor. "It's different for me. I loved him so very much, from the moment I realized that I was pregnant—because he was _inside_ me. You had the choice to walk away. I knew that you would never choose that path yourself- you're too damn responsible. But I wanted you to be happy."

"So you think I would be happy without you in my life?" he asked incredulously.

I blinked twice, my face blank as I tried to process this. "Weren't you?"

He chuckled darkly. "Happy? Far from it. I was probably the polar opposite of happy."

"Why?" I gasped. Hadn't my plan worked? It definitely should have. For any normal person it should have.

"Do you really need an explanation for that? Didn't you know how much I loved you? How much I still love you?"

He reached out a hand to brush my shoulder softly, but I took two steps back. He looked hurt, and I tried to make him understand why I backed away, but the words wouldn't come. Because what he was saying was impossible. He couldn't still love me. Not after all of this, not after everything that I had done.

"You don't love me, Embry."

He stared at me, slack jawed for a few seconds. Finally, he spat out, "Are you absolutely insane? Of course I love you, Leah. You're the very best part of my life."

"You Imprinted on me. That doesn't mean you love me." Couldn't he see the difference?

"Yes… yes it does." Obviously not.

"No!" I protested, shaking my head madly. "I'm sick of all these wolf legends ruining my life! First with Sam—the wolves took away my Sam. And then they took away _me_—I had no idea who I was anymore! It took so long for me to find my way back to myself once I tried to stop being a wolf. And then it gave me you… but not really."

"Not really? What the hell are you talking about? You had me. You still have me. I'm yours."

A single tear slid down my cheek. He didn't understand—no, he didn't _want_ to understand. He wasn't even trying.

"I have to be so careful around you, even not around you. I can't ever phase—not ever! Even if I get too angry or too upset—I always have to remain calm, or I'll lose you."

I didn't mention to him that _one _phase probably wasn't going to change anything—that much I knew. But technically it was true.

"You'll never lose me, Leah. Even if I'm not Imprinted on you, I'll still love you, forever."

I shook my head. "How do you know? No one can possibly say that, especially you! I've had one love taken away from me because of Imprinting- imagine if you stopped being Imprinted on me because I phased again. Fine- you say you'll still love me, even if I don't believe it. But how can you be sure that you won't Imprint on someone else?"

"Because I love you. Because you're the only one for me!"

I exasperatedly threw my hands up in the air. "Sure, you say that now! Now when the legends keep my hold on you strong. What about when Fertile Myrtle catches your eye—someone who can have tons of little wolf babies with you?"

"No, Leah! Listen to me." He reached out for my arm, not deterred when I flinched back from him. "You and me. That's all that matters." He pulled me in closer, slowly. I hesitated, but let myself be drawn into him. He still held my forearm in his hand, and he brought it to his cheek.

"You and me," he repeated, staring deep into my eyes. "Forever." I was absolutely locked in the gaze of his warm, dark eyes. "I love you, Leah Clearwater. I love you with all my heart and soul- even if we weren't Imprinted, I would never, ever find anyone who I loved so very much." He traced my collarbone with his free hand and I closed my eyes delicately. "You are the only one I ever want. Without you, my life is darker than you can even imagine."

I opened my eyes again, which I was ashamed to admit were wet with tears. Embry carefully brushed them away with his finger. I let out a soft whimper, and Embry thought it was a protest and started backing away. I panicked. No. Not when I had him this close. Damn my selfishness to Hell, but I needed him.

I grabbed his arm.

"Don't," I whispered. "Don't go."

I drew in a shaky breath. "If you can ever forgive me for the horrible thing I did," I breathed, pressing my forehead against his, eyes closed, "If you can forgive me, then I'll love you forever, Embry Call."

"If I forgive you? You say that like I have a choice." Embry grinned, but the tears started flowing faster.

"That," I said weakly, pulling away now, "That is what I'm talking about."

"What did I say?"

"I want you to have choices, Embry. I don't want you to feel pressured into doing anything."

"Leah Clearwater," he breathed, taking a step closer to me. I didn't take any steps back this time. "Do you think I even _want_ any more choices? The only thing I want is you, and that's all I'll ever want. I swear that to you."

I cracked a watery smile, and then suddenly my face was on his, my arms locked around his neck. He pressed one of his hands into the small of my back, and I wished that he could hold me there forever.

"Oh, Embry," I whispered against his lips. "I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I love you, too. I love you more than you could ever imagine."

I opened my eyes to look at him, preparing my retort, when there came a loud cry from behind us.

"EW! Cooties!" screamed the little boy, staring at us with a horrified expression before running away.

Sheepishly and chagrinned, I pulled away.

"I guess recess is over," I murmured, blushing.

Embry half-smiled and took my hand.

"Come on," he said. "I believe we need to go back to the meeting about _our_ son."

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**So, I'm not gonna lie, when I saved this file on my computer, it was under the name "togetheragainAHHHH", which makes me feel a little embarrassed. **

**I don't know if I'll get any more chapters up until after Christmas due to the whole holiday celebrating shenanigans and the fact that the next chapter isn't written yet. But check back after Christmas!**


	11. LEAH: Dark Paths

**This is the last chapter, with a very short epilogue to come quite soon!**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer, not even close. But I do enjoy taking over her stories.

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**

With the minor scuffle at the school sorted out, EJ (whose name Embry declared was officially perfect) was given the rest of the day off, along with Max and Ronnie. Ronnie's parents professed a hurried apology before rushing their son out of the room, embarrassed at what he'd done. Emily, Embry, Max, EJ, and I walked down to the corner ice cream parlor that we had been at the day before. Usually I was against so much sugar crammed into one week, but I had a feeling that finding-your-long-lost-dad deserved a special treat.

We all crammed into one booth, which was hard considering Embry's massive werewolf size. The owner's eyes popped nearly out of his head as he saw what a crowd was coming into his shop; usually, the only customers were EJ and me. The large chain ice cream shop down a few blocks was where most of the people usually headed.

"What will it be?" he asked us.

"Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles," Max and EJ declared at the same time. Both their mouths dropped open, and they exchanged an astonished look.

"_You_ like vanilla and chocolate sprinkles?"

"Of course! It's the only way to eat ice cream," EJ declared sagely. I choked back a giggle.

Embry discreetly twined his hand into mine, smiling down on his son. EJ hadn't trusted him at first, but the promise of ice cream had warmed him up to his no longer estranged father, and now the two were getting along fine.

His scorching body, so near me after such a long time away, made me dizzy with my undiluted passion for him. Almost as if he could sense this, he lowered his lips to my ear, his warm breath tickling the fine hairs on the side of my neck.

"I love you," he whispered.

I smiled, twisting my head to secretly kiss him on his neck, my lips lingering for only one second too long. It was so hard to be so near him now, yet so far.

EJ and Max devoured their treats in less than five minutes. They decided to play with the dusty old arcade machine in the back corner of the parlor.

"So, Leah, you have a lot of explaining to do," Emily said, crossing her arms and raising one eyebrow. I panicked, but then I saw the smile growing on her face; apparently, I was forgiven.

"I know I was a bad person for leaving, Emily, and I'm sorry." I flashed my eyes quickly to Embry to make sure he realized that I wasn't apologizing only to Emily, though we'd had this conversation less than half an hour before.

She snorted. "You weren't a bad person. You were just an idiot. I'm glad to see you two back together, though."

Embry grinned and kissed me on the cheek as I blushed beet red.

"So where have you been staying?" Emily asked.

I shrugged. "I got an apartment a few years back. It's a couple of blocks south from the school."

Emily laughed. "I live a couple of blocks _north_ from the school. Who would have thought we were so close?"

I joined in on her laughter. "Certainly not me."

It was kind of a relief to know that Emily, Sam, and especially Embry had really been quite close throughout my suffering. It put a whole new light on my dark memories; it wasn't that there was an endless night- the sun was just a few blocks away. It cheered me up considerably.

After I put EJ to bed that night, I stared out the one window in my apartment, looking at the moonlight street below. I really believed that the frayed ends of my life were starting to come together now, that my life was starting over. I was reborn. I thought of how well Embry and EJ got along…

Suddenly, an idea came to me.

A conversation from another lifetime ago with Embry, before everything got so messed up:

_"Sam thinks we Imprint so that we find the best person to carry the wolf gene to our kids," _I had told Embry about thirty seconds before we Imprinted.

_"And you stopped being able to have kids_," he had said.

My heart started thumping as I realized something.

The wolf gene was passed on. EJ had it coming at him from both sides. My duty as a wolf was finished, completed. I had successfully had a child who would eventually be able to be a wolf.

Did that mean… did that mean I was free to become a werewolf again? Did that mean that my Imprint with Embry was untouchable, irreversible, because our duty was done?

There was only one way to find out.

I made sure EJ was still asleep before hurriedly running down the stairs of the apartment building, rushing into the cold air outside. I found a secluded alleyway a few streets down; it would have to do.

Panting slightly, I hid myself in the shadows of the alley, hiding myself from the moonlight that bathed the rest of the street in a milky brightness. I carefully started stripping off my clothing, laying them in a pile next to me.

I closed my eyes, letting the wind tickle my bare body. I searched through my mind for the thing I had left behind so long ago: my ability to shape shift. Once I had found it, I focused on it with all my mental capacity. I didn't want this to be a simple phase-because-I'm-angry thing, like the last time. I wanted my body to welcome the wolf inside me and fuse the two together. I wanted to be a wolf again. I wanted to be with Embry forever.

It wasn't long before the familiar heat began to slither down my spine, but it was harder to phase than I thought it would be. There were a few reasons for this. It had been so long since I'd last phased that it was difficult for my body to fall back into the pattern that was once as familiar to me as breathing. And, for another reason, there was a small corner of my mind screaming bloody murder at me, desperately trying to stop the process that the rest of me was putting in motion.

Why was I doing this? I just got Embry back after years, because of _my_ stupid decision to leave him. Was I really ready to lose him again just because I was selfish and wanted him forever? Wasn't one lifetime really enough for me?

But then the wolf won over the voice, and I phased.

In a split second, I knew that everything was fine.

Nothing had changed. I still loved Embry with all my heart and soul, and I instinctively knew that his feelings had not differed, either. The wolf was an inseparable part of me now, and I could have Embry forever.

With smug satisfaction, I phased back into my human form. Hah. I could have the best of both worlds.

I heard footsteps with my new heightened senses, and I hastily tried to grab my clothes, but it was too late. I only hoped that whoever it was would just pass by the alleyway without noticing me.

He noticed.

"Well, well, well, look at this little beauty. It seems that Christmas has come early this year." I turned around, horrified as I met the appraising glare of a young man with dark hair and pale features, the hint of a beard growing around his face. He chuckled as I tried to cover myself up with my hands. "And it's already unwrapped. How convenient."

I was utterly motionless with shock, like a lamb caught in the jaws of a hungry wolf.

"Stay back," I said in what I hoped was a threatening tone of voice.

"And why should I do that?" the stranger asked seductively.

He came closer, and I reacted—I slapped him across the face.

For a moment, I thought he would leave. For one, glorious second, I thought I had won. But then he turned back his face towards me, and his glare was mutinous, his eyes full of rage.

"You really shouldn't have done that," he hissed.

I didn't even have time to defend myself as he pinned me to the ground. I let out a sharp cry as my head connected with the pavement with a sharp crack, and the man put a hand over my mouth, using his entire body to restrain me to the ground. I kicked and cried and bit his hand and hit him—but nothing. He was going to win.

And then he was unbuttoning his jeans—I closed my eyes tightly, hoping in vain for a miracle—

From behind my captor, there was a sound.

I had been part of a pack of werewolves. I had fought and killed a vicious vampire army. I had taken part in the stand against the Vampire Mafia, whose name I had forgotten.

But I had never heard a sound so murderous, so incredibly threatening as the one behind this man.

It was a snarl.

It was a human sound, though only barely. My heart skipped a beat. I recognized that voice, furious as it was.

And then Embry threw himself onto the man who was on top of me, pinning him to the ground next to me, and started punching him in the face.

I was in shock. Again. Everything was moving so fast; I had no time to react. It was only when the first spatters of blood landed on me that I came back to myself.

"Embry! Stop!"

The man that I loved looked up at me in an uncontrollable rage, too far gone to even phase into his werewolf form. But as he looked down to continue his work, he realized how bloody the face of his victim was, and his features softened a miniscule amount.

"Come on, let's go." Embry was still furious, but in control of himself enough to walk away.

"But--."

"He won't die. Someone will find him in the morning."

I didn't argue with him as I pulled on my clothing.

I attempted to walk next to him, but I swayed dangerously. Embry caught me before I fell, and in that brief moment when our eyes connected, I could tell that he was furious. He straightened me, and I put a hand to the throbbing ache on my temple. When I pulled the hand back, it was covered in a crimson sheen of blood.

Embry made a noise not unlike a growl, and picked me up in his arms without a word. He did a double take as he touched my skin.

"Why…," he started to ask, but trailed off. I could practically hear the click as his mind put the pieces of the puzzle together: why I was in the middle of a dark street in the middle of the night, why my clothes had been off, why my skin was now over a hundred degrees, yet I wasn't feverish. He slowly shifted me into one arm, and with the other he touched the wound on my head. It was already healed.

He shook his head, a smile beginning to creep across his face, but I could still see the anger in his features. He was happy enough that we could have our forever after, but he was still incredibly angry at the situation that had almost come to pass. I had to distract him. I picked the first question I could think of: one that could divert his attention, but one I also desperately wanted to know the answer to.

"Embry, will you marry me?"

It worked. He stared at me openmouthed as he continued to carry me to my apartment.

And then he shook his head.

"I cannot believe this."

My cheeks colored and burned. I wanted to go crawl in a ditch. Is this how Embry felt when I turned him down?

Embry was still shaking his head. "And I wanted to be spontaneous. You know that you ruin all my moments for romance, right?"

I stared at him, uncomprehending.

He set me down; we were in front of the building my apartment was in now. I had regained my sense of balance and could now stand upright.

"There was a reason I was already out on the streets, Lee. I had to go get this to bring to you."

And then, for the second time in my life, Embry got down on one knee, balancing the ring box in his palm.

"Leah Clearwater, will you--."

"Yes."

"But I didn't--."

"Yes."

With a grin that seemed to brighten the dusky streets, Embry slid the ring I had seen once before on my finger, where it would stay for the rest of my life. And I was planning on that being a long, long time.

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**So, kind of fluffy in the beginning, kind of serious in the middle, and happy at the end. I believe it's a good mix. **

**The next chapter is just a very short epilogue, so that should come up either later tonight or tomorrow morning.**

**Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, or both to this story. I would be lost without you guys, really. If it weren't for the many reviews asking for more, this would have just stayed a one chatper story, and I am forever in your debt.**


	12. EPILOGUE: My Happy Ending

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns (and pwns) all.**

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With each step, I remembered.

Step. The day I had Imprinted on Embry.

Step. The reaction on Emily's face when she realized what had happened.

Step. The moment I realized that I was pregnant.

Step. The painful aches of birthing.

Step. Embry and I reunited.

Step. The second time he'd proposed. The time that I'd made the right choice.

Every step, another memory. The steps were slow, so I had time to savor the moments, to etch them perfectly in my mind. I realized how much I had grown from my twenty-one year old self; how much I had matured in these years.

And then Charlie let me go, putting my hand in Embry's. He went to go sit back by Sue, Seth, and Melissa, who were sitting in the front pew of the tiny church. From a few rows back, Jake and Nessie gave a little wave. Emily had tears rolling down her face, and even Sam looked a bit close to breaking down.

And then I turned to my fiancée, who would only remain so for the next few minutes.

In that moment, when I looked at Embry, I realized just how much had changed. This time when I looked into his eyes, none of the usual things happened to me; my heart didn't stutter, my breathing didn't accelerate, I didn't get dizzy or weak at the knees.

Instead, a warm feeling bubbled in my stomach, bringing with it courage and a sense of _knowing_: knowing that this man was here with me, forever; knowing that this wasn't just some schoolyard romance, that this was a serious love that many wish for and few receive; knowing that through good times and bad, through sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer (and I was definitely the latter)—Embry was mine, and would stay mine, for the rest of eternity. I was (finally) getting my happy ending, and I was glad. I had worked hard for the damn thing.

"You may kiss the bride."

Embry did as the minister said.

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**:D**

**So, this was originially where I was going to end it. But I got a few requests for a sequel, and as I was falling asleep last night I had a few ideas....**

**And viola!**

**There will be a sequel!**

**It is as yet unnamed, but it will be coming your way soon, so check back if you want to read it!**

**Happy holidays everyone!  
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